I am aging gracefully

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Good Morning Fur friends and Hooman friends,

One week into the New Year and it has not stopped raining since Saturday. I have been singing rain rain go away Layla needs to walk and play but it is not helping.

Layla has never liked the rain and it stems from her having been an outside dog in her past life as I call it so it is a battle to get her out when it rains and if she sees her raincoat she goes and hides in her box and stays there. So the past week I decided to try a new approach with less stress and it seems to be working.

In the mornings I let her sleep for as long as she wants and when she feels she needs to go out we go out, she tells me by getting up and walking towards the door. I am doing that also during the day or evening by letting her tell me and wow what a difference it has made. She is more relaxed, happier to go out and not fighting me with the raincoat. It might not be long walks like we are used to but at least she is going out to potty. I cannot believe that I never thought about this in the past but as I am saying to myself better late than never.

Layla will be 12 this year, like me she is aging and with it comes all the new quirks or triggers and am having to deal with them on a daily basis. She is also losing her sight in her left eye which does not make things easier. She does not like going out in the evenings when it is dark so her last walk is like 6 or 7.

Her new fear is clapping and when we in the dog park if someone claps for their dog she dives under the bench to hide. I am not giving in to her by leaving but the opposite I pick her up and cuddle her to give her a feeling of security. There are days that it works and days that it does not. Treats always work though LOL.

Our lives are changing because of it, I am working through her fears/triggers/quirks on a daily basis and learning at the same time. Thank goodness her appetite or water consumption has not changed which is keeping me more relaxed. I have also found an amazing chew for her, not as hard as bones but it keeps her really busy during the day in this weather. It is a turkey tendon and she loves them. My pet store has a great deal at the moment of buy 3 get one free so have stocked up on them to keep her happy.

She is still doing zoomies when we enter the building, full of puppy energy and as I call her Ms. Piss and Vinegar, that she is. She even plays more with her squeaky toys lately which is awesome as I love watching her jump on the bed and grab one to squeak like crazy.

I have started a new part time job which is taking me out of the house for about 4 to 5 hours each day and thank goodness I do not have to deal with anxiety as she seems to be handling this really well.

So that is what is happening in the Layla Neighborhood at the moment, we are stuck indoors because of the rain, Jazz playing in the background so life is good here for us two old ladies.

How are all of you coping with the cold weather and rain ?

Stay warm and dry and please remember pets are family and need to be kept indoors safely,

Have a great week with a woof from Layla

36 Replies to “I am aging gracefully”

  1. It is always sad when our best friends get new fears. After Pierre’s illness, he suddenly feared putting on his harness. I think he associated it with being sick. We have almost overcome it but all of these things take time, love, and patience which I know Layla gets tons of from you!

  2. Ruby doesn’t like rain either. I wonder if (like Layla), it reminds her of her whole life. I’m so sorry she is losing her sight in her one eye. Our winter has been pretty mild so far, but lots of rain – we are hoping for more snow!

    • I also think there are triggers there being a rescue but she is better this year than in the past and we are expecting a week of rain ahead of us. Stay warm

  3. My oldest boy isn’t crazy about the rain either. Although, I have to say that as he’s gotten older he seems to mind it less and less. When he was a pup he hated going outside in the rain. He’s 10 now, and still doesn’t love it, but he’ll go outside in it without complaining too much haha. I think it might have to do with the fact that our younger dog actually likes walking in the rain. He plays in the puddles and just has so much fun, I think it might be a bit contagious. And here I thought my older dog would be the one teaching my younger one things…it seems to go both ways.

  4. Patience seems to be the order of the day when it comes to overcoming a hurdle suddenly. Bit by bit and with patience we achieve great things like not being afraid of people who clap. It works!!

    Thank you for joining the Parade *paw hug *

    Marjorie and the Dash Kitten Crew

  5. I’m sorry you two are starting the new year off with soggy rain. I hope the sun shines on you again real soon. Waiting until Layla really has to go out when it’s raining is the smartest way to deal with her reluctance. I have to do that w/ Phoebe in the cold. She hates the cold and won’t go out until she really has to potty – I don’t mind, less cold walks for me too!
    Love & Biscuits,
    Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them

  6. It’s nice to hear Layla is aging gracefully and happily too! As for us we are staying warm and out of the frigid temperatures. It’s in the 20s here in the Northeast, USA.

  7. I just started doing the same thing with my older dog Spike – let him tell me when he want to go out in the morning, and you are right, things are a lot calmer! We live in Seattle, so in the winter it rains nearly every day – the doggos tend to ignore it for the most part, so I feel blessed. Give Layla a big hug for me!

  8. As a fellow San Franciscan with a senior dog who hates rain equally, I totally feel you. Babu is 15 and I am just thankful for the borrowed time we have with him. It is going to be another rainy week come Monday, so hoping for sunshine soon!

  9. Sorry Layla is starting to mind some new things such as clapping. Often dogs gradually lose their hearing as they age which normally helps them not mind things they used to because they can’t hear them well anymore.

    • Jana it is hard these new things but am taking one day at a time and watching her carefully, it could be worse as I always say.

  10. I’m glad that you are able to make adjustments to Layla’s schedule and that it made your lives less stressful!

    I’m sorry that Layla is losing her vision in one eye. The dog I grew up with lost her vision and hearing in her senior years (over 14) but managed to get around really well (even after she moved in with me in a new house) until she was 17.

    We’ve had Sophie since she was a puppy and she hates the rain.

    • Beth it has made life so much easier and she is thank goodness healthy so losing her sight in one eye is hard but we can live with it. As for the rain I am finding that so many dogs hate it LOL but survive.

  11. It’s so sad and scary as our dogs age and develop new fears. It’s great seeing you make adjustments to Layla’s schedule and help her through the more difficult times she is having.

  12. Sweet Layla…I am glad she is gracefully aging, and that is what we hope for. All of Huskies are now seniors! Where did the time go? The three “Pupsters” will be turning 11 soon, and my oldest gal will be 14 in March. As you said, I am aging right along with them and together we are navigating new choppy waters – arthritis stiffness, GI upset, insomnia, etc., and my almost-14 year-old has developed a fear of floors, my bare areas in the kitchen and hall, even the spaces between two throw rugs. I noticed that about a year or so ago as I think it is a vision/depth perception thing as she ages. She also has gone completely deaf, but our communication is great as my Huskies were trained with hand signals as pups. When she sleeps, though, I do stomp the ground as I enter the room or out on the deck so she hears me first before waking up. She is always with the other three sleeping, playing, eating, and howling; and together no one would even know she was deaf! It is hard to see them age, knowing what lies ahead, yet remembering them as young pups…which does feel like it was only yesterday. May our sweet seniors enjoy their golden years and be filled with peace, love, and joy. xo

    • Beautifully said and I love your Huskies, each one with his or her personality. Yes with age comes issues but so does it happen to us so am like you enjoying the days, dealing with the issues as they come up and blessed to know that she is enjoying life, is loved and safe and that is what is important.

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